


autonym

by tanyart



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Pet Names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-16
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 14:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1006330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tanyart/pseuds/tanyart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jean agonizes over something to call Eren that isn't an insult.</p>
            </blockquote>





	autonym

They are in their second month of dating and Jean decides that maybe continuously calling Eren  _fuckwad_  isn’t the most endearing name to use.  There is only so much fondness he can forcibly inject into the word before it sounds unflatteringly sarcastic and just plain weird.  He supposes they had it coming after years of provoking each other, but it isn’t  _his_  fault Eren responds well to names like  _dumbass_  and  _bastard_ , and Jean pretty much turns his head just as quick when Eren calls him  _shithead_  or  _asshole_.

This isn’t a problem he wants to talk over with Eren though, mostly because he senses Eren wouldn’t care.  Or worse, Eren  _would_  care, and Jean knows Eren runs on an empathy rating scale of zero or eleven and nothing in between.  The last thing Jean wants is Eren to make a big deal out of it.  Because it isn’t a big deal. It’s not supposed to be.

“I don’t want him to brush it off or ignore it, but I want him to notice a little.  It’s got to be subtle, you know?”

Marco turns from his laptop, pulling his earbuds out.  Faint bass beats fill their tiny dorm room before he replies, “Jean, I know you’re worried but I’m pretty sure you’re overthinking it.  Maybe distract yourself with something and come back to your problem later.”

“I’m pretty sure you gave me that same advice last week when I had trouble with my physics paper, word for word,” Jean says testily. “Were you even listening to me?”

“It’s advice that can be applied to half your problems,” Marco says, exasperated and already putting an earbud back into his ear.  He gives Jean a small, reassuring smile.  “And for the record, I  _was_  listening for the first five minutes.  Take a step back and don’t stress about giving Eren a petname for a while.  I’m sure you’ll come up with something nice.”

Jean stares at Marco.  “Petname,” he repeats.  “Well, when you put it like that I guess it sounds pretty stupid.  I mean, you don’t think it’s stupid, do you?”

“Go for a walk.  Clear your head,” Marco says, overly loud because he’s back on his laptop, listening to his music, and he waves a preemptive good-bye from his chair.

Jean spends the next hour sulking in the corner of the on-campus library, turning over various nouns and adjectives and maybe even a limerick at one point.  His midterm essay gets finished with incredible speed because literally  _anything_  is easier than trying to come up with something  _nice_  to call Eren.

He submits his essay, feeling completely discontent like he’s wasted his whole afternoon and accomplished nothing.  The confirmation pop-up blinks on his screen and he shuts his laptop with a dissatisfied snap.  His sloppily written essay outline flutters from the movement.  Jean picks up his pen, rattling the clicker in annoyance.

He is about to devise a table figure on the pros and cons of using  _babe_  when he glances up and spots Eren walking through the bookshelves.  Jean accidentally flicks his pen into the air.

Call it new relationship jitters, academically induced stress, or the fact that he had just completed a long midterm essay, but Jean’s stomach flutters at the sight of Eren.  They hadn’t seen each other in a while, not in the last twenty-four hours at least, and he half-rises up from his chair.

The problem is that he’s still got  _babe_  on his mind, all of the unwritten pros and cons, and Jean already knows he’s got a serious mind-to-mouth filter issue.

“Hey, babe,” he calls out and almost chokes on the word.  He sits back down, part of him hoping his library-whisper voice hadn’t carried.  Maybe Eren hadn’t heard.  Maybe he could try calling out again and use Eren’s actual name this time.

No such thing happens.  Eren turns his head, looking over his shoulder until he catches Jean’s eye from between a gap of lined journals.  He gives a cursory nod, ducking down to retrieve a book before he approaches Jean.

There’s no immediate verdict from Eren, but he’s grinning like he’s happy to see Jean so maybe he hadn’t heard after all.

“This yours?” Eren picks up the pen from the ground.

Jean takes it but moves the same hand to hook two fingers through one of Eren’s belt loops.  “Yeah, thanks.”

“No problem, babe,” Eren says thoughtfully, like he’s trying out the word too and isn’t sure if he likes it either.

The heat rushes to Jean’s face.  He roughly tugs Eren into the seat next to him. “Oh. No.  No, you don’t get to use that.  I thought a lot on it and you can’t just  _say_  it.”

 “What are you talking about?” Eren leans forward, barely on the edge of his chair because it’s another one of his silent compromises that makes him difficult.  His knees dig into one of Jean’s thighs.  “How come you get to call me something stupid like babe?”

“Stupid because you’re stupid,” Jean says, stung.  “Come up with your own!”

Eren’s chin goes up like it does whenever he takes on a challenge.  Jean snaps his mouth shut because he doesn’t want it to be a  _challenge_  and there Eren goes again, taking things up to eleven.

“Sweetheart,” Eren says, staring intently at Jean.

Jean snorts.  “Hell no.”

“Darling, love, dear, sweetie,” Eren continues, moving closer with each name.  He’s practically in Jean’s chair by the time he finishes.  “Doll, honey, baby-“

 Jean feels himself blush and he’s nothing but angry about it.  He leans back as far as he can, mostly to get away from Eren rather than to accommodate him. “Oh my god, you fucker.  You’re making fun of me.”

Eren’s hands go to the front of his shirt.  “Mm, I like that one.  Fucker.  Asshole.  Bastard.”

“Dumbass,” Jean mutters into Eren’s mouth and groans out another insult as Eren’s knee presses between his legs.  He kisses Eren hard until he hears his breath run out and turn into a ragged gasp. That gives him enough time to put up his hands.  “Sorry, not now.”

Taking the hint, Eren eases off and stands up.  He still has his hands on Jean’s shoulders though, fiddling with Jean’s collar.  He almost looks embarrassed, but Jean knows Eren isn’t exactly the type to be really ashamed of anything. 

“I didn’t mean to make fun of you,” Eren suddenly says.  He straightens, body tensing like he’s ready to take on another challenge.  “You can call me whatever you like.  I always turn and look up anyway.”

The insides of Jean’s stomach go all fluttery again and he literally feels like he’s been knocked off his feet despite sitting right in his chair.  He can’t believe Eren is doing this to him.  He rakes his hand through his hair, tugging at the short strands in frustration. 

“Yeah,” he finally says, looking at Eren’s shoes.  “Thanks, Eren.”

Eren grins.  “That’s my favorite one, Jean.”

There is no special infliction or tone on his name, but the sound of it through Eren’s voice makes Jean glance up.  His own stupid unexciting name – and Jean starts to maybe understand what Eren means by it. 

“Yeah, mine too.”


End file.
